site.btaThe Palace Architectural Park Complex Draws History, Botany Buffs to Balchik in All Seasons

January 30 (Dimitrina Solakova of BTA) - Sprawling on over 19 hectares, a Romanian queen's former summer residence and its lush park with rare and exotic plants, organized as an architectural park complex, attracts visitors round the year to Balchik (Northeastern Bulgaria). The site is a must-see for history and botany lovers visiting the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.

The Palace was built to serve as a residence of Queen Marie of Romania (1875 - 1938) while the area was under Romanian control. Visiting Balchik in 1921, the Queen was fascinated by its beautiful landscape that reminded her of Italy. Construction began in 1925. The Queen's villa was constructed first, followed by residential villas for other members of the royal family, a power station and a chapel, as well as terraced gardens. The palace complex was finished in 1936, only two years before Queen Marie's passing.

After the region reverted to Bulgaria in 1940, Romania paid a tax to Balchik Municipality for the property for eight years. Ownership in the Palace passed to the Bulgarian Culture Ministry under a bilateral agreement in 1948, and it was purchased by the Bulgarian State by another agreement in 1980. It was later named The Palace Architectural Park Complex and was designated a monument of culture and of gardening and landscape art of national importance.

Today, local and foreign visitors spend at least two hours exploring the buildings in the Complex that feature a variety of styles, including Byzantine, Roman, Arabic, and Mauritanian, and the several gardens within the park, which has been converted into a Botanic Garden run by Sofia University.

The signature landmark of the site is the Queen's residence, which Marie called Tenha Yuvah ("secluded nest" in Turkish), nestled in the rocks overlooking the sea. Designed by Italian architects, the three-storey mansion combines various styles and cultures, its minaret-like tower being the most eye-catching feature. Here, visitors can see a display of the Queen's personal items, documents, and photos, as well as ancient artefacts found during archaeological excavations of Thracian mounds around Balchik. A marble throne, made in Florence, on which Queen Marie sat to watch the sea, is exhibited next to the villa.

Another particularly interesting place in the complex is the Stella Maris Chapel, built in 1929 as a replica of a 15th century church that Marie saw during a visit to Trikomo, Cyprus. As Queen Marie herself had wished, her heart was brought to that chapel in a small golden casket after her death in Sinaia in 1938. Two years later, after Balchik was reintegrated into Bulgaria, the casket was taken back to Romania.

The Prince Nicholas Villa, where Queen Marie's son Nicholas and daughter Ileana lived while in Balchik, now houses a gallery and a wine tasting space, offering wines and spirits made by the Queen's Winery House.

The University Botanic Garden boasts Europe's second biggest large-size cacti collection, exhibited on an area of 0.1 ha. It is a rescue centre for rare and endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The park's terraced gardens, landscaped for Queen Marie by Swiss gardener Jules Gianni, are home to over 4,900 plant species, including exotic ones like metasequoia, rubber tree, and Japanese raisin tree. Waterfalls, fountains and small bridges complement the meticulously maintained flower gardens.

Apart from being a tourist attraction, the Complex is also a venue for cultural events organized by The Palace State Cultural Institute. National and international festivals are held here annually. The 2022 programme includes the Early Bird International Student Film Festival, the Ethno Music and Dances International Folk Festival, and the Via Pontica International Youth Arts Festival. The Complex's exhibition halls currently display a mobile exhibit of the Pomorie Museum of History.

In winter, The Palace Architectural Park Complex is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The best time to visit is in spring, when most plant species are blooming. DS/LG//

Photo: BTA